Automatic stop mechanism



Jan. 13, 1948. R. A. HERATH E'T AL AUTOMATIC sToP MECHANISM Filed May28, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 13, 1948.

R. A. HERATH EIVAL AUTOMATIC STOP MECHANISM Filed May 28, 1945 4Sheets-Sheet 2 .UCN

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lh l M b5 INVENToRs RUSSELLAHERATH and CHARLES/QPETr/G/Qemhe/'f'Afforn/@g Jan. 13, 1948. R A HERATH E1-,M 2,434,406

AUTOMATIC STOP MECANISM Filed May 28, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORSRUSSEL L ,4. HERA m and CHA/Pl. Es P. PErr/ GREW,

`Ians 13, 1948. R. A. HERATH Erm.

AUTOMATIC STOP MECHANI'SM Filed May 28, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORSSELL A. HERA TH and Es QETr/GREM @Us CHA RL by:

Patented Jan. 13, 1948 2,434,406 AUTOMATIC s'ror MEcHANIsM Russell A.Herath, Joliet, and Charles I. Pettigrew, Elwood, Ill., assignors to TheAmerican Steel and Wire Company of New Jersey, a corporation of NewJersey Application May 2s, 1945, serial no. 596,330

This invention relates to an automatic stop mechanism for wirefabricating machines of various types such as those used in themanufacture of barbwire fencing and various wire fabrics.

The chief object of the invention is to provide automatic means forstopping a wire working machine upon the arrival of either a snarl'or abroken wire or end of wire at a detector station.

As will more fully appear hereinafter, the herein claimed invention isdirected to a unique and compact mechanism adapted to be combined withthe power driving means of a wire working machine and the source of wiresupply for the machine, the mechanism including a snarl detector sheaveand a broken wire detector sheave both c'oacting with the same wire enroute from the supply source to the machine, the mechanism alsoincluding a switch arranged to be actuated in response to movement ofone or the other of said detector sheaves upon the arrival of a snarl oran end of a wire at a detector station, the mechanism including meanscontrolled by the switch adapted to stop the operation cf the powerdrive for the wire working machine in response to a predeterminedmovement of either the snarl detector sheave or the broken wire detectorsheave.

The above and further related features of the invention will be morefully apparent from consideration of the following specication, theappended claims, and the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing a portion 4 Claims. (Cl. 1110-126)2 sents any conventional form of wire fabricating machinesuch as abarbwire making machine or wire fence machine, adapted to be suppliedwith line wires w advanced or pulled through the wire fabricatingmachine by any conventional form of wire feed, the wires w passing oversuitable guide sheaves a. The wire fabricating machine may be regardedas including a main drive shaft B having a tight pulley T keyed orotherwise affixed thereto and a loose pulley L rotatably mountedthereon. A belt C driven from a pulley (not shown) on the overheadcountershaft is adapted to be moved by a shifter V plvotally mounted. ato to any convenient part of the wire fabricating machine. Acounterweight D trained over a guide sheave F is connected by a cable Eto the shifter V, as shown.

An operating,r rod G pivotally connected to the shifter V is normallyheld in the position of Figure 1 by a latch element H. So long as theparts are in the position illustrated, the drive belt C of a barbwiremachine and a source of Wire supply, with detector mechanism interposedbetween the fabricating machine and the source of wire supply.

Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the principal parts of thesnarl detector and broken wire detector elements and switch actuatingmechanism coordinated therewith.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on section lineIII-III of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2, illustrating the operation ofthe broken wire detector when either the end of a wire reaches thedetector station or when a wire breaks.

Figure 5 is a View similar to Figure 2, illustrating the action of thesnarl detector mechanism upon the occurrence of a snarl.

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail view of a solenoid-operating mechanismcontrolled in response to the movement of either the snarl detectorsheave or the broken wire detector sheave.

Referring in detail to the drawings, A reprewill be trained around thetight pulley T and therefore transmit power to the wire fabricatingmachine.

As will appear more fully hereinafter, the present invention providesfor automatically actuating the belt shifter V when a snarl occurs inone of the wires w or when said wire breaks. Upon the occurrence of asnarl or the end of a wire being reached, the belt shifter V is adaptedto be rocked counter-clockwise upon the tripping ofthe latch H,whereupon the weight D will rock the shifter V so as to engage the beltC with the loose pulley L. The tripping of latch H is effected by asolenoid S which rocks a lever Z pivoted at z. The solenoid S is undercontrol of a switch to be later described.

One or more wires w, to be fed to the wire fabricating machine, areadapted to be supplied from one or more pay-ofi reels, indicated at Y.Each wire w passes through identical snarl detector and broken wiredetector mechanism to be described, and since these mechanisms are ofidentical construction a description of one will sumce for all. By wayof illustration, in Figure 1 we have shown two wire supply reels and twodetector mechanisms, but it will be understood that more than two orless than two may be employed if desired. As above mentioned, theprimarypurpose of the present invention is to prevent snarls of wirefrom entering a wire fabricating machine, and also to prevent brokenwires or thelast ends of a wire supply from entering a wire fabricatingmachine. The improved control mechanism of our invention serves thedouble function of interrupting the transmission of power to the wirefabricating machine A, upon the arrival of either a snarl or the end ofa wire at a detector station.

Our improved mechanism includes a housing I having a depending shank 2formed with a. central bore 3 extending therethrough through which thewire w travels as it is withdrawn from the payoff reels or bundles Y.The shank 2 is mounted in a bearing open 4 formed in the hub end of asupporting bracket 5 secured to a suitable xed standard 5, the housingbeing adapted to be suitably oriented and held in any desired positionby means of a set screw 6 mounted in a suitable tapped opening in thehub end of the bracket 5. A collar member 1 is secured to the shank 2,as shown, and has a lateral extension 'I'L to which is secured a platemember 8 which in turn supports a limit switch 9.

The housing I has hub portions, as shown, to receive a pin I whichrotatably supports a large grooved pulley II and also rotatably supportsarms I2 and I3. The arm I3 near its left end, as shown in Figures 2, 4,and 5, rotatably supports a grooved snarl detector pulley I4. This armmember I3 is so mounted on the pin I0 that it is capable of pivotalmovement relatively to the arm member I2. The arm member I2 carries abroken wire detector sheave I5, and said arm is pivotally mounted on thepin IIJ. The angular movements of arms I2 and I3 are limited by stoppins I6 and I6, and the movement of arm I3 is somewhat restrained by atension spring I1 whose upper end engages the right extremity of the armI3 and whose lower end is anchored to the collar extension le. Atooth-like projection I9 is secured to the right end of arm I2 andoverlaps the right end of arm I3, as shown, As thus arranged,

counter-clockwise movement of the arm I3, as viewed in Figure 2, willcause the right extremity of said arm 'I3 to strike the projection I9'and thus impart counter-clockwise movement thereto. Secured to theright extremity 0f the arm I2 is a cam-like member I8 which is adaptedto coact with a follower roller 20 secured to the free end of a switchlever 2lia forming part of the limit switch 9. Within the casing of thelimit switch is an operating finger 2Gb which is adapted to shift amovable contact 2l)c into engagement with a xed contact 20d, thecontacts 2Dc and 20d being connected by wires 2Ile and 2li in a circuitwith a source of electric current indicated at 20g, which circuitincludes the solenoid S hereinabove referred to. The arrangement is suchthat when the circuit is closed across the contacts 20 and 20d, thesolenoid S is energized, whereupon the latch H is tripped and theoperating rod G and shifter V are moved to the left by the counterweightD, thereby shifting the belt from the tight pulley T to the loose pulleyL, thus interrupting the power drive and stopping the wire fabricatingmachine.

Normally the broken wire detector sheave I rides on the relatively tautstretch of the wire between the guide sheave II and the snarl detectorsheave I4, and thus under `normal conditions the limit switch is heldopen in the condition shown in Figure 2. However, upon breakage of thewire w or upon arrival of the end of a coil of wire at the broken wiredetector sheave I 5, the sheave I5, under such conditions, no longerbeing held up by the tension of the' wire, will drop, thus rocking thelever I2 counterclockwise through an angle determined by the position ofstop I6, and in such rocking movement Vit will shift the parts to theposition of Figure 4, wherein it is noted that the cam I8 will strikethe follower 20 and shift the lever 20* to an angle sufficient to closethe circuit across the contacts 2|l and 20, thereby energizing thesolenoid S and through the connections previously described shifting thebelt C to position to stop the machine A.

In a somewhat similar manner, upon the occurrence of a snarl, the pullexerted on the wire w. occasioned by the snarled portion, as indicatedpictorially in Figure 5, engaging the entrance throat of the bore in theshank of the housing I, will cause an increased tension in the wire wwhich will be effective to pull the snarl detector sheave I4 downwardly,for example, to the position illustrated in Figure 5, thereby rockingthe arm I3 counter-clockwise about its pivotal support I0, against theaction of the spring I1, whereupon the right extremity of the arm I3will strike the tooth I9, rock the lever I2 which will shift the cam I8to the positionof Figure 5, thus causing the cam to contact the follower20 and rock the lever 2UEl a sufficient angular distance to shift thefinger 20b to a position to close the circuit across the contacts 20 and20d, thus energizing the solenoid S and thereby again actuating the beltshifter mechanism to interrupt the transmission of power to the wirefabricating machine A.

While we have shown and described a construction and arrangement ofcooperating parts which an actual reduction to practice has demonstratedis highly desirable, it is not to be construed that we are limitedprecisely thereto, since various modications and substitutions ofequivalents may be resorted to by those skilled in the art. within thescope of the appended claims.

We claim:

l. A device of the character described, adapted to stop a wire workingmachine upon the arrival of either a snarled wire or the end of a wireata detector station, said device comprising a housing rotatablysupporting a guide sheave over which is reeved wire adapted for use inthe wire working machine, a pair of juxtaposed levers mounted forrocking movement about the pivotal axis of said guide sheave, a snarldetector sheave journaled adjacent the free end of one of said leversand arranged to be normally held yieldingly at a determined elevation bythe wire en route from said guide sheave to said wire working machine, abroken wire detector sheave journaled adjacent the free end of the otherof said levers and normally .riding at a determined elevation on astretch of wire between said guide sheave and said snarl detectorsheave, and switch mechanism adapted to be actuated when either of saidlevers is moved due to a change from normal position cf either saidsnarl detector sheave or said broken wire detector sheave, said switchmechanism being adapted to control the operation of a wire workingmachine, a tooth on one of said levers for coaction with the otherlever, the parts being so constructed and arranged that a rockingmovement imparted to either of said levers will actuate said switchmechanism.

2. A device of the character described adapted to stop a wire workingmachine upon the arrival of either a snarled wire or the end of a wireat a detector station, said device comprising a housing having a shankadjustably held in a bearing portion of a xed bracket, said shank havinga passageway therein through which wire is adapted to travel en route toa wire working machine, a guide sheave over which the wire from saidpassageway is reeved, a pair of juxtaposed levers mounted on a commonpivotal supporting rod carried by said housing, said guide sheave alsobeing mounted on said rod, a snarl detector sheave journaled on one ofsaid levers and arranged to be held normally at a determined elevationby the wire en route from said guide sheave to said machine, a brokenwire detector sheave journaled on the other of said levers and normallyriding at a determined elevation on a stretch of wire between said guidesheave and said snarl detector sheave, a switch including an operatingarm adapted to be rocked when either of said levers is moved due to achange from normal position of either said snarl detector sheave or saidbroken wire detector sheave, said switch being adapted to control theoperation of a wire working machine, a member on one of said levers forcoaction with said switch operating arm, and a tooth on one of saidlevers for coaction with the other lever so arranged that a rockingmovement imparted to either of said levers will actuate said switchoperating arm.

3. The apparatus defined in claim 2, further characterized in that saidhousing carries a, pair 25 of stops limiting the pivotal movement ofboth of said levers, the lever carrying said snarl detector sheave beingnormally held by a spring in a position determined by one of said stops.

4. A device ofthe character described adapted to stop a wire workingmachine upon the arrival of either a snarled wire or the end of a. wireat a detector station, said device comprising a snarl detector sheaveand a broken wire detector sheave, both adapted to coact with diierentportions of the same wire, respective levers on the free ends of whichsaid sheaves are journaled. a common pivotal support for both saidlevers, means on one of said levers for transmitting movement to theother upon the shifting of one of the detector sheaves relatively to theother, a switch controlling the operation of the wire working machineand a member secured to one of said levers for actuating said switch.

RUSSELL A. HERATH. CHARLES P. PE'I'IIGREW.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

:UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 556,622 Dailey Mar. 17, 18961,399,384 Heilman Dec. 6, 1921 2,360,741 Symmes Oct. 17, 1944

